Pour spout and vent construction



June 3, 1969 E. w. FIDDYMENT 3,447,724 I POUR SPOUT AND VENTCONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 10, 1967 mm m aw w v F M W M m @W E m Fig. 3

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 222-469 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A liquid storing and dispensing container has a top wallprovided at one end with a first opening providing a pouring spout andat the other end with a second opening providing an air vent. A valveplate is accessibly slidable atop the wall and normally covers bothopenings. By sliding the plate properly a venting port therein can beregistered with the air vent. A U-shaped handling bail is pivotallybracketed in place and has a crank arm operatively connected with apush-pull link carried by a median portion of and serves to open andclose the valve plate.

The present invention relates to liquid or equivalent materialdischarging and pouring means for a container in which the liquid ormaterial is confined and stored for dispensing and pertains, moreparticularly, to an improved pouring spout and air venting orifice oropening for a selfcontained wall of the container.

It is common practice in the field of invention herein under advisementto provide a container wherein one wall, the top for example, embodies aliquid dispensing and pouring hole or spout and a complemental air vent,said top wall being also provided with a valving plate or equivalentblade-shaped valve element which is slidingly and guidingly mounted,which normally covers the pouring and venting facilities and which isreadily openable and closable. An early prior art example characterizedby the facilities stated is disclosed in Oerzen Patent No. 479,- 015 anda more recent example is shown in Hacmacs liquid dispensing devicePatent 2,193,232. Reference to either or both of these prior patentswill serve, generally speaking, to categorize the general state of theart to which the present invention relates.

An objective in the instant matter is to structurally, functionally andin other practical ways improve upon the stated reference patents andother analogous adaptations which need not, it is believed, be set forthhere.

In carrying out the principles of the present invention the container,an oil or gasoline can for example, is provided with a flat top wallmarginally encompassed by an upstanding liplike flange. Median portionsof the transverse end flanges are notched and the wall inwardly thereofis provided with spaced openings. Both openings are provided withaccompanying O-rings which serve as suitable spaling gaskets for asimple slidingly mounted valving p ate.

To the ends desired a first opening or port provides a pour spout andthe imperforate end portion of the valving plate normally covers andcloses the same. A second port or opening provides the air vent and,hereagain, a solid or imperforate portion of the valving plate normallycovers the vent. This end portion of the slide valve or plate is alsoprovided with an orifice which, when the pour opening is uncovered,registers with the vent to provide the desired venting and easy pouringaction desired when the can or container is bodily lifted and tilted todischarge its contents in a well-known dispensing manner.

A further improvement resides in the provision of a pivoted handle. Morespecifically the handle comprises an inverted U-shaped wire bail whoselimbs are hingedly bracketed atop the wall of the container. At leastone limb is provided with a crank operatively connectible with a linkcarried by the median portion of the valving plate whereby the handle iscapable of use in carrying the container with both ports closed, orsliding the valve plate to an open position preparatory to pouring anddispensing the contents of the can or container.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the speciallyconstructed top wall of a can-type container for oil, gasoline or thelike, the valve plate being shown in open position and the handle tiltedfrom left to right in a manner to slide the valve to assume and maintainits open position.

FIG. 2 is a view in section and elevation taken approximately on theplane of the section line 22. of FIG. 1.

And FIG. 3 is a top plan view on a smaller scale of the structureillustrated in FIG. 1 but with the valve plate slid from right to leftand assuming its normal port closing position.

Referring to the views in detail the container comprises aconventional-type storing and dispensing can which is here shown as ofgeneral rectangular form and which is denoted, generally speaking, bythe reference numeral 6. The side walls are denoted at 8 and the endwalls at 10 and 11, respectively. The top wall which here is of specialconstruction is denoted by the numeral 12 and is encompassed by anupstanding marginally located flange 14 constituting a rim. The flangedportion of the end wall 10 is provided with a cutout or notch 16. Asimilar notch 18 is provided in the right hand end wall 11. A firstopening or hole is provided inwardly of the left hand wall 10 with anopening 20 which provides a simple pouring spout. The marginal edge isfashioned to provide an endless receiving and retaining channel for anO-ring 22. This opening 20 is referred to herein as the first opening orpouring spout. A similar opening 24 is provided inwardly of the righthand end wall 11 and hereagain the marginal portion of the opening isfashioned into a suitable endless channel 26 containing an O-ring 28thus providing an air vent and a sealing gasket therefor.

The valve plate or element is denoted by the numeral 30 and comprises arelatively narrow elongated strip member. This strip member has spacedapart portions thereof slidingly and guidingly mounted in properlypaired left and right hold-down brackets 32 and 34 respectively. Theimperforate end portion 36 of the valving plate is slidably cooperablewith the pour hole or spout 20. The other end portion 38 of the valvingplate and which is projectable through and beyond the notch 18 when thevalve is open, serves to normally cover the gasket-equipped vent 24.This end portion is provided with an orifice or port 40 which isselectively registrable with the vent 24. The central or median portionof the plate is provided with an inverted U-shaped link or member 42which serves a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The sliding valve plate 30 while capable of being manually slid left toright for opening and closing purposes is preferably mechanicallyoperated in conjunction with the handle means. The latter means isdenoted generally at 44 and comprises a substantially U-shaped wire orequivalent bail which has a bight portion 46 and a pair of lateral limbs48. The terminal inwardly bent portion 50 is hingedly mounted by abearing bracket 52. on the top wall 12. A similar bearing bracket 54serves to hingedly or pivotally mount the turned-in terminal portion 56of the limb 48. The turned-in portion 50 is here provided with asuitably angled crank 56 which is operatively associated with the 3 link42. Accordingly, the link 42 and crank 56 provide an operatingconnection between the handle or bail 46 and the slidable or shiftablevalving plate 30.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and then FIG. 3 it will be seen that thelinking or operating connection be tween the bail or handle 44 and thevalving plate is such that the handle can assume a novel upstanding orright angular position for carrying purposes as shown in FIG. 3 at whichtime the imperforate portions of the valving plate cover the pour spoutor hole and venting hole 24. Then when it is desired to dispense ordischarge the contents of the can, the latter is lifted and tilted inthe customary dispensing and pouring manner. Simultaneous ly orsubsequent to the can tilting step, the handle 44 is tripped from leftto right which functions to slide the valve plate from the normal closedcan-carrying position of FIG. 3 to the open position shown in FIG. 1.The po sition of the opened can in its tilted state is not herein shownand is believed to be self-evident.

It is submitted that the invention well serves the purposes for which itis intended and compared to known prior art adaptations, constitutes animprovement in the art. Accordingly, a more extended description isdeemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a container having a top wall provided with a firstopening constituting a container contents pouring spout, a secondopening complemental to said first opening and constituting an air vent,a valve plate accessibly and slidingly mounted on said top wall andhaving imperforate portions normally covering and closing both of saidopenings, said plate having a single venting port located inwardly ofone end portion so that when the other end of the plate, which isadjacent said first opening, is slid to a position which uncovers saidfirst opening, said venting port is then lined up and registered withsaid vent, a carrying handle comprising an inverted U-shaped bailembodying a b ight portion constituting a handgrip and a pair of limbs,mounting brackets fixed atop said top wall, said limbs having endportions pivotally joined to their respectively cooperable brackets, anoperating connection comprising a crank arm carried by one of said limbsand a link fixed on a median portion of said valve plate, said crank armhaving an end portion oriented and cooperatively connected with saidlink.

2. The structure according to claim 1, and wherein said containercomprises a can, said top wall being flat, said first and secondopenings being located at the respective end portions of said top wall,the top surface of said wall having plate attaching brackets located inan area between said first and second openings, said valve plate beingelongated and fitted flatwise atop said top wall and slidingly andguidingly mounted in said plate attaching brackets.

3. The structure according to claim 2, and wherein said plate attachingbrackets are paired, there being a .4 first pair adjacent andcomplemental to said first opening, and a second pair spaced from saidfirst pair but adjacent and complemental to said second opening, saidvalve plate being narrow compared to the width of said top wall and of alength commensurate with the length of said top wall.

4. In combination, a container having a fiat horizontal top wallmarginally encompassed by upstanding flange means constituting a rim,said top wall being provided adjacent one end portion of said rim with afirst opening constituting a pouring spout, said one end portion havinga clearance notch in alignment with said spout, a second openingcomplemental to said first opening and constituting an air vent, saidflange means having an end portion provided with a clearance notchadjacent to and in alignment with said vent, said top wall beingprovided inwardly of the respective first and second openings withattaching brackets, a valve plate accessibly and slidingly mounted onsaid top wall and having imperforate portions normally covering andclosing the aforementioned first and second openings, said plate havinga single venting port located inwardly of one end portion of the plateso that when the other end portion of the plate, which is adjacent saidfirst opening, is slid to a position which uncovers said first opening,said venting port is registered with said vent, the respective outer endportions of said valve plate being normally aligned with and seated inthe respectively cooperable clearance notches, an inverted U-shaped bailembodying a handgripping bight portion and a pair of complemental limbs,said limbs having end portions pivotally joined to mounting bracketsfixed atop said top wall, and an operating connection between said valveplate and one of said limbs.

5. The combination defined in and according to claim 4 and wherein saidoperating connection comprises a crank arm having a free terminal endportion, and a link fixed on a median portion of said valve plate, thefree end portion of said crank arm being operatively connected with saidlink in a manner that when the handle is swung from a normal verticalvalve plate-closing position to a valve plate-opening position theaforementioned venting port is retentively lined up with said vent.

6. The combination defined in and according to claim 5 wherein themarginal edge portions of said first and second openings are providedwith endless receiving and retaining channels, each channel having anO-ring seated and retained therein in a manner that the O-rings providesealing gaskets for the surface portions of the valve plate which arecooperable therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT B. REEVES, PrimaryExaminer.

F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 222-484, 561

